Word of the Day

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Zhuzh (alternatively spelled zhoosh) has an onomatopoetic ring to it: it resembles other sound-effect words, such as whoosh or zoom, that suggest dynamic movement, or perhaps more appropriately, a ruffling of hair or fabric. The earliest evidence of zhuzh shows that it is part of Polari, a kind of slang known especially for its use in 20th century British gay culture. The word has been in use since at least the 1970s, and gained wild popularity during the 2018 reboot of Queer Eye, a television series in which a fellow needing help in the areas of fashion, grooming, living space, food, and social grace gets a makeover courtesy of five talented gay men. While often used as a verb (usually paired with up), zhuzh is also a noun that refers to a small improvement or adjustment, as in “my hair just needs a quick zhuzh and I’ll be ready to go.”